Aden Tanner
Admiral Aden Tanner is the Chief of Federal Security and Chief Military Liaison for Aegis. A seasoned and internationally respected military leader with over four decades of experience in the Federal Navy, Tanner was appointed Chief of Federal Security on April 7, 3303 ostensibly to investigate Thargoid activity, a move which prompted media outlets to nickname him "the alien tsar".Galactic News: Alien Tsar Makes Statement Tanner was subsequently appointed Chief Military Liaison for the multinational anti-Thargoid research organization Aegis on August 19, 3303,Galactic News: Federal Security Chief Liaising with Aegis making him the leading human military authority in the Second Thargoid War. Biography Early life and career Aden Tanner was born in 3254. His father, a medical doctor, expected Aden to pursue the same profession, but he instead joined the Federal Navy on impulse with a group of friends. Although Tanner never regretted his decision, it caused a rift with his father that was left unresolved when his father died in 3277. Tanner's first months in the navy were tarnished by an irreverent and jocular attitude, and he earned the nickname "Spoony" for his habit of eating directly from food packets. Early on, Tanner was disciplined for creating a satirical newsletter that mocked several senior officers, including Sergeant Burke Hazell, who had offered encouragement to Tanner during his basic training and took the newsletter personally. This incident resulted in Tanner being labeled a potential insubordinate. It was only after Commander Myra Dunstock, Tanner's chief instructional officer, took Tanner on a tour of a refugee center that he realized the error of his ways and devoted himself wholeheartedly to his training. The Autolycus Mutiny By 3271, Tanner had reached the rank of Chief Gunnery Officer, and was serving aboard the Farragut Battle Cruiser FDN Autolycus under the command of Captain Jaiden Horne when the vessel was deployed to reclaim Coldharbour Station following its occupation by rebels. Although Captain Horne was ordered to only monitor the station while awaiting reinforcements, Horne became convinced that a rebel attack was imminent when communications were lost with the station and began displaying increasingly erratic behavior. When a group of civilian ships attempted to leave the station, Horne assumed they were going to ram the Autolycus and order Tanner to shoot them down. Tanner refused and was thrown in the brig for mutiny, while the civilian ships escaped the system unscathed. Tanner's antics during his training came back to haunt him, as Horne cited them as evidence of rebellious behavior when Tanner was court-martialed for the "Autolycus Mutiny". However, Horne's state of mind became the focus of the trial after it emerged that the escaping ships had been carrying evacuees and communications with Coldharbour Station had been secretly cut by Horne himself; Horne committed suicide, and it was later found that he had been experiencing drug-induced psychosis during the incident on the Autolycus. Tanner was cleared of all charges and received a commendation for his actions from Federal President Antonia Madison. Aegis Afterwards, Tanner's naval career flourished. He was eventually promoted to Admiral in the Federal Navy and earned a reputation for level-headedness and staying cool under pressure. He also became a close personal friend of Federal President Zachary Hudson, who appointed him Chief of Federal Security on April 7, 3303 in light of the escalating conflict with the recently-returned Thargoids. When the Federation, Empire, and Alliance banded together later that year to create Aegis, a multinational research organization dedicated to understanding the Thargoids and developing the technology to counter them, Tanner was selected as Aegis's Chief Military Liaison and took charge of coordinating the three superpowers' military defenses against the alien threat. Timeline 31 JUL 3305 *Recent reports from the Witch Head Nebula indicate that the Thargoid forces in the region have been defeated. The initial call to arms from Aegis Research was met with an overwhelming response from independent pilots, who were able to push back Thargoid incursions from the new human colonies. Admiral Aden Tanner, chief military liaison for Aegis, said: "Humanity has achieved a decisive victory in the Witch Head Nebula. Significant numbers of Thargoid vessels were destroyed in the conflict, even as many independent pilots were lost. But the sacrifice of these brave souls was not in vain, for the enemy has been forced to withdraw. While the threat of occasional incursions from Thargoid craft remains, our colonial assets have been firmly established in the region." Professor Alba Tesreau of Aegis Research looked to the future: "The Alliance, Empire and Federation have declared that the Witch Head Nebula is now an official enclave of humanity – a region that their joint efforts have enabled them to share equally. But the damage inflicted on our new starports must be repaired before we can harvest the barnacle sites in the area. Independent pilots have already given so much, and for that I am humbled and thankful. And yet, we must ask for one last favour: to support the repair of these starports."GalNet: Enclave Established in Witch Head Nebula 22 JUL 3305 *Carson's Spring, the megaship transporting Professor Ishmael Palin from the Maia system, has successfully completed its journey, having endured a number of attacks by Thargoid craft. Admiral Aden Tanner provided this update on behalf of Aegis Research: "With support from many independent combat pilots, the Thargoid assaults on Carson's Spring have been successfully repelled. The megaship has now arrived in the Arque system with Professor Palin and his staff." Palin currently remains aboard Carson's Spring. Efforts are underway to establish a new permanent home at Abel Laboratory on Arque 4 E, from where Palin's previously offered engineering services can resume.GalNet: Carson's Spring Reaches Arque System 11 JUL 3305 *Reports indicate that the Thargoids have abruptly withdrawn from the majority of human-occupied space. Admiral Aden Tanner, chief military liaison for Aegis, announced: "Multiple reliable sources have reported a mass departure of Thargoid craft. Their forces vanished from dozens of locations within hours of each other. Only the Maia and Merope systems are still reporting Thargoid activity. Our theory is that the Thargoids have retreated due to our defence operations depleting their numbers. Then again, they may simply be reconsidering their strategy. Either way, Aegis will continue to monitor the situation." In response, Professor Ishmael Palin of the Palin Research Centre offered words of warning: "Celebrating any kind of victory over the Thargoids would be premature. We have no proof that their withdrawal was a result of human activity, and this action is at odds with their highly territorial nature. Nevertheless, this is still a significant – if mysterious – development."GalNet: Thargoids Withdraw from Core Systems 18 APR 3305 *It has now been more than two months since the Thargoids began a concentrated assault on the core systems, and in that time they have attacked dozens of starports, resulting in thousands of casualties. s authorities in the affected systems continue to appeal for aid, Admiral Aden Tanner, Aegis's chief military liaison, has offered the following assessment: "What's surprising is that the Thargoids aren't targeting our most important social or military centres, such as the superpowers' home systems. There's no doubt that they're trying to weaken us, but evidently they're guided by different principles than those that typically govern human martial strategy. What we can say is this: with capital ships of limited use against Thargoid craft, independent combat pilots remain our best defence against the Thargoids."GalNet: Thargoids Wreak Havoc in Core Systems 29 AUG 3304 *The Pilots Federation confirmed independent pilots' recent reports of a new Thargoid Interceptor variant, the Hydra. Admiral Aden Tanner also provided Aegis's preliminary findings: "We can confirm that this new ship – classified as the Hydra – is a variant of the Thargoid Interceptor. It is structurally stronger than the Cyclops, Basilisk or Medusa, and releases a larger swarm of Thargon drones."GalNet: New Thargoid Interceptor Encountered 16 AUG 3304 *Admiral Aden Tanner confirmed reports that Aegis's Eagle Eye installations had gone offline. The disruption had been caused by Thargoid Sensor-related interference at Dantec Enterprise in Socho, the headquarters of Aegis Core and a vital component of the Eagle Eye array. Admiral Tanner explained, "With Dantec Enterprise experiencing widespread technical issues, it's impossible for us to communicate with the Eagle Eye installations. And unless the installations are fed a continuous stream of data, they are essentially useless. The Eagle Eye installations are one of the most effective weapons we have in our war against the Thargoids, and we would be grateful to any pilots who could deliver meta-alloys to Dantec Enterprise, to help us get the starport back online."GalNet: Eagle Eye Installations Offline 28 JUN 3304 *Aegis reported that Eagle Eye had detected a massive surge in Thargoid transmissions. Admiral Tanner elaborated on the situation: "Following the Thargoids' retreat, all evidence suggested that their surface sites had become dormant. But new data from our Eagle Eye network shows that they have surged back to life, and that the star maps inside these structures are now pinpointing the Deciat system. It seems this was only a brief respite while they summoned reinforcements from the Pleiades. Latest intelligence indicates that Thargoid vessels are now congregating in large numbers in Deciat space. This is an alarming development for the Garay Terminal starport, which is on high alert. There are also several megaships active in the region, which are potential targets for the Thargoids. On behalf of Aegis, I am calling on all members of the galactic community for assistance in defending Deciat. Without the aid of independent pilots, all assets in the system could be overwhelmed, with the loss of thousands of lives."GalNet: Thargoid Assault on the Deciat System 21 JUN 3304 *Admiral Tanner declared that that the Thargoids had been successfully repelled from the Core Systems: "This is a very positive development. Using data from our Eagle Eye network, courageous members of the galactic community have formed a barrier of steel and fire, preventing Thargoid vessels from encroaching further. In doing so they have prevented several starports from being attacked, saving many thousands of lives. Furthermore, in many regions the Thargoid incursion has actually been reversed. Although they remain entrenched within the Pleiades, their forces in the core systems have been pushed back to the Bhal system, their initial beachhead. Aegis offers its sincere thanks and congratulations to every one of the Commanders who risked their lives by meeting our enemy in battle. These audacious pilots have proved that humanity’s spirit is far from broken. Victory against the Thargoids will be hard-won, but I am in no doubt that with defenders of this calibre, it will one day be achieved."GalNet: Thargoids Repelled from Core Systems 31 MAY 3304 *Admiral Tanner touted the success of Aegis's Eagle Eye initiative in helping predict and prevent Thargoid attacks: "I have no doubt that without this surveillance data, more starports in the Pleiades would have been attacked and damaged. Only last week, Thargoid incursions in the Lwalama and Lalande 4141 systems were vigorously resisted thanks to the early warnings provided by Eagle Eye. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to those brave Commanders who have engaged the Thargoids in battle. Aegis was established to help protect the galaxy, and with the help of courageous members of the galactic community we will assuredly triumph."GalNet: Aegis Hails Eagle Eye Success 09 MAY 3304 *Admiral Tanner addressed concerns about the Thargoids' advance into the Core Systems: "Reports that the Thargoids are encroaching upon the core systems en masse are grossly overstated. Although they have crossed the threshold, all we have seen so far are localised incidents in fringe systems. This is not a full-scale invasion, and it does not warrant large fleet movements of the kind that have been suggested. Rest assured: the enemy is contained. There is no need for panic. Courageous independent pilots, armed with Aegis technology, are doing a superb job at halting the Thargoids' progress. It’s to be expected that we suffer occasional losses in this conflict, but these do not indicate an impending catastrophe."GalNet: Aegis Responds to Concern over Thargoid Incursions 03 MAY 3304 *Admiral Tanner issued a statement on behalf of Aegis in response to Simguru Pranav Antal's suggestion that humanity could lose the war against the Thargoids: "Let me make this clear: our enemy may be powerful, but they are far from achieving victory. With our AX weaponry and new megaships, Aegis is leading an effective resistance against Thargoid forces."GalNet: Antal's Pessimism Triggers Backlash 30 MAR 3304 *Admiral Tanner formally announced the deployment of Aegis's military flagships, Acropolis and Vanguard: "It is vital that Aegis has a military presence in the theatre of conflict. These new ships will coordinate anti-Thargoid operations wherever they are deployed, and will support independent pilots. In response to recent Thargoid incursions, the Acropolis has been dispatched to the Lunguni system, while the Vanguard is operating in the Mentor system. However, their key advantage over a starport or base is their mobility, so both will periodically relocate to wherever they can be strategically effective. Constructing these two gigantic vessels was a considerable undertaking for Aegis, but we are convinced the expense and effort is worthwhile. Our remit requires us to occupy a guiding role in the resistance against the Thargoids, and these megaships will bring that into focus."GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Megaships Deployed by Aegis 29 MAR 3304 *Admiral Tanner released a statement concerning Aegis's ongoing surveillance of Thargoid Surface Sites: "Undoubtedly, the most positive outcome of our Eagle Eye initiative is that it has allowed us to determine which locations the Thargoids intend to attack. This has proved invaluable in our ongoing fight against the Thargoids. It appears, however, that the sites are currently dormant, as no energy-level fluctuations have been detected for several days. Hopefully this means we can look forward to a temporary reprieve from Thargoid attacks. Our military flagships, the Vanguard and the Acropolis, will remain on standby in HIP 21559 and Irandan until needed."GalNet: Thargoid Sites Go Quiet 16 MAR 3304 *Aegis released the following statement on behalf of Admiral Tanner: "The new Eagle Eye installations are a success, they have identified fluctuations in Thargoid transmissions from a number of planet side structures. With the invaluable help of the members of the Pilots Federation we have identified that the new signals are pointing to locations in human space. We believe these to be identifying the location of potential Thargoid attacks and if this is proved to be the case it will be a huge break through and a validation of our work here. We continue to monitor the Thargoid activity using the Eagle Eye installations in the Pleiades and have confirmed reports that the Eagle Eye installations have detected new signals. We urge all available pilots to investigate these changes to see if we can thwart the Thargoids."GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance Continues 09 MAR 3304 *Admiral Tanner commented on Aegis's launch of the Eagle Eye surveillance initiative: "Our new Eagle Eye initiative will closely monitor systems where Thargoid surface sites are known to exist. We have established orbital surveillance installations at six locations in the Pleiades, which will measure energy-level fluctuations and track ship movements. Each installation is attended by a comms beacon that will collect the data before transmitting it to us for analysis."GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance in the Pleiades 24 FEB 3304 *After Aegis confirmed that the Thargoids had been directly targeting Aegis laboratories, Admiral Aden Tanner made this statement: "We have identified that the Thargoids are specifically targeting starports where Aegis laboratories are established. These include Titan's Daughter in the Taygeta system, Liman Legacy in HIP 16753 and the Oracle in the Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55."GalNet: Thargoids Targeting Aegis Laboratories 27 OCT 3303 *Admiral Tanner addressed reports of capital ships being destroyed by the Thargoids: "Although the shutdown field neutraliser developed by Aegis is capable of protecting small ships, we have encountered difficulties adapting the technology to larger spacecraft. Furthermore, the fact that Thargoids tend to target larger vessels with multiple shutdown beams simultaneously makes the task of protecting them more difficult.The fact that capital-class ships are more vulnerable to Thargoid attack means they are an ineffective way of protecting outposts, planets and shipping lanes. Consequently, for the present, the deployment of capital ships is not considered an effective defence strategy."Galactic News: Capital Ships Vulnerable to Thargoid Attack 19 AUG 3303 *After reports surfaced that Admiral Tanner was liaising with Aegis, Tanner made the following statement: "It is my sincere pleasure to support Aegis in its mission and contribute to what I hope will be a new era of collaboration. I know there are those who have questioned my involvement with Aegis, but I can assure you that after forty years in the military, I am ready for some peace." 07 APR 3303 *Following his appointment to the newly-created role of Chief of Federal Security, Admiral Aden Tanner made the following statement: "Having reviewed all available information, we can confirm these craft are active primarily within the Pleiades Nebula and the space in and around the Maia and Merope systems. The significance of these locations – if any – has not yet been determined. We can also confirm, despite rumours to the contrary, that carrying an Unknown Artefact does not attract the attention of these vessels. A number of independent pilots claim to have seen evidence that these ships have attacked human vessels, but no empirical verification has been recovered. Nevertheless, I would urge the galactic community to treat these strange ships with extreme caution." 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